Toy machine gun



C. S. COOK TOY MACHINE GUN Jan. 2, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1960 INVENTOR. Ca/v/n .5. 600%. BY

ATTO/Q/VEXS Llk C. S. COOK TOY MACHINE GUN Jan. 2, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1960 if/E 2?? Li??? L L if f v NNv all llllll C. S. COOK TOY MACHINE GUN Jan. 2, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 1, 1960 INVENTOR Ca/v/h 5. Cook ATTORNEYS United States Patent i York Filed Apr. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 19,223 16 Claims. (Cl. 46--175) This invention relates to toy guns, and more particularly to a simulated machine gun, especially of the type having a slidable cross-slide for shell feed, sometimes referred to as an automatic clip-gun.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve toy guns. A more particular object is to provide a toy gun which simulates an automatic clip gun, and characterized by a slide which moves transversely of the gun. To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the toy gun elements and their relation one to another as are more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the gun (except the muzzle), with a part of the side broken away to expose the mechanism in the gun;

FIG. 2 is a sectioned side elevation showing the muzzle portion;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the gun;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view taken in the plane of the line 44 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line 6--6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a plan view, with the slide pushed to cocked position to energize the main spring;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line 8-8 of FIG. 7, but with the slide removed;

FIG. 9 is explanatory of a ratchet forming a part of the mechanism;

FIG. 10 shows the upper part of the ratchet; and

FIG. 11 shows the lower part of the ratchet.

Referring to the drawings, the gun comprises a gun body generally designated 12, simulating an automatic clip gun having a magazine slide 14 movable transversely of the gun. The desired percussive or firing noise is obtained with the aid of a sound producing diaphragm 16. This is struck by a spring hammer 18 disposed adjacent the diaphragm. The main spring 20 urges the slide 14 to one end of its travel, in this case, to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Gear teeth 22 are formed on the slide to provide a gear rack, and this meshes with a pinion 24 (FIG. 5). There is also a toothed wheel 26, which in this case has depending finger-like teeth 28, and which is driven by the pinion 24. The wheel 26 serves to deflect and release the spring hammer 18 so that it strikes the diaphragm 16 with a percussive noise.

Referring to FIG. 1 there is also a trigger 30 which has a part 32 which normally engages and stops rotation of the toothed wheel 26. The gun therefore may be fired in short bursts.

In FIGS. 1, 5, 6, and 7 it will be seen that the slide 14 is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells 34. The bottom of the slide, preferably behind the shells 34, has a relatively deep inverted channel 36 in which the main spring 20 is received.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the gun has a tubular muzzle 38 which is reciprocable relative to the gun body 12 in order to simulate recoil. A crank 44 is geared iatented Jan. 2, 1962 ice to the toothed wheel, as later described, and a link 42 extends from the crank to the muzzle 38. This causes reciprocation of the muzzle, and the gear ratio is preferably such that the muzzle is reciprocated once for each blow of the hammer.

Considering the gun structure in greater detail, the gun body 12 comprises a barrel portion 44 which is finned for simulated air cooling. It carries a forward sight 53 (FIG. 2). A forward grip 46 depends from the barrel 44. The barrel is enlarged in the region of the cross-slide, as shown at 48 in FIGS. 3, 5, 7, and 8. Behind this there is a breech portion 59 carrying a rear sight 52, a simulated hammer 54, a hand grip 56 and a trigger guard 58. At the top there is a guide 68 for the magazine slide.

The gun body is preferably molded out of a suitable plastics material. It is molded in two halves divided on a vertical plane passing through the axis of the gun. The two halves are secured together in edge-to-edge relation, as by means of a suitable solvent or cement, and the edges may include the usual small pins or dowels and mating holes to hold the halves of the gun in accurate registration when they are being secured together. The internal parts of the gun are put into place as the halves of the gun are assembled.

The slide 14 also is preferably molded out of a plastics molding material. Except for one end stop 62, the entire slide is molded in one piece, and as molded it includes the row of simulated shells 34, the gear teeth 22, and the bottom channel 36 (FIGS. 1 and 6) which is located between the shells 34 and the gear teeth 22. This channel is deep enough to receive and substantially conceal the main spring 20, which is a pull-spring.

At the left end the slide has spaced slots 64 (FIG. 5) which form a tongue 66 therebetween, on which one end loop of the main spring is anchored, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. This is done before the separate end piece 62 is cemented in position. The latter has the same size and appearance as the opposite end piece 68. These end pieces act as the motion limiting stops for the slide.

The body of the gun is molded with the guide 60 which carries the slide. This guide includes an upstanding stud or anchor 70 (FIGS. 5, 6, and 7) which is located in the channel 36 previously referred to, and which receives the opposite end of the main spring 20. In FIGS. 3 and 5 the main spring has contracted to minimum length and the slide is in its right-hand position. The slide is pushed to the left-hand position shown in FIG. 7, thereby tensioning the main spring to maximum length.

Referring now to FIGS. 9, 10, and 11, the pinion 24 is formed integrally with the driving part 71 of a ratchet or one-Way clutch. The parts are preferably die-cast, and they rotate freely on an upright shaft 72 (FIGS. 1 and 4). The part 71 has downwardly projecting teeth or dogs 74 (FIGS. 9 and 10).

The wheel 26 has recesses 76 formed on its top surface,

.and these mate with the teeth 74. The parts of the clutch are yieldably urged together by a light compression spring 78 (FIGS. 1 and 4) which is disposed on shaft 72 'beneath the wheel 26 and which urges the latter upwardly. The wheel 26 carries the depending teeth 28 for actuating the hammer, and preferably also has peripheral gear teeth 80 for a purpose described later. Because of the ratchet the wheel 26 does not turn during cocking of the gun.

' Referring now to FIGS. 1, 5, and 7 of the drawing, the diaphragm 16 is disposed vertically in the breech portion of the gun. The sides of the breech portion are preferably slotted as indicated at 82 (FIG. 1) for egress of sound. The diaphragm is secured at its peripheral edge to a support frame 84 which is molded integrally with one side of the gun. A similar frame may be molded with the other side, and the diaphragm then is supported between both frames.

The hammer 18 is a leaf spring, the rear end of which is fiXed or riveted in place at 86 (FIG. 1). The forward end 88 is free, but in the present case the hammer is given a double or reverse bend, and for this purpose it is loosely supported at an intermediate point 90, by means of supports 92 formed integrally with the sides of the gun and projecting toward one another to provide an upright slot through which the leaf spring 18 somewhat loosely passes. The operation is suggested in dotted lines in FIG. 7, the finger 28 of the wheel 26 bending the free end 88 of the spring to one side, whereupon the spring, being restrained at 92, bends or convexes away from the diaphragm 16. When the tooth 28 moves far enough to release the end 88, the spring snaps back, and the previously convexed portion hits the diaphragm 16. This action is repeated regularly as the slide moves from left to right and the teeth 28 move successively past the end of the hammer.

The trigger action may be described with reference to FIG. 1. The trigger 30 is a die-cast piece made integrally with a horizontal part 94 which is slidable in guides 96 molded with the sides of the gun. The trigger then turns upward to the part 32 which is interposed in the path of the teeth 28. Thus rotation of the wheel 26 is normally arrested by the trigger, which is urged to its forward position by a suitable trigger spring, in this case a pullspring 98.

When the trigger is pulled rearward the part 32 is moved back out of the path of the teeth 28, and the wheel is then free to rotate. This rotation may be permitted in short bursts by pulling the trigger back only briefly. The part 32 is on the far side of the hammer, as viewed in FIG. 1, and therefore does not interfere with the hamrner action. See also FIG. 7, which shows how end 88 is moved away from trigger 32.

The peripheral gear teeth 80 of the wheel 26 mesh with a pinion 102 (FIGS. 1 and This pinion is preferably die-cast integrally with the crank 40 previously referred to. This may be a disc with a hole in it, the latter receiving the downward end 104 of stiff wire link 42. The latter extends forward to the muzzle 38. In the present case the wheel 26 has four teeth 28, and therefore the gear ratio of gear 80 to pinion 102 is preferably four to one, so that the muzzle reciprocates once for each blow of the hammer.

The connection between the muzzle and the link is preferably made yieldable to help protect the parts against breakage. For this purpose the muzzle has a cross-bar 106, and the link 42 is bent reversely around the crossbar 106 as shown at 108, and then terminates in a downwardly bent stop 110. A light compression spring 112 is disposed around both legs of the link, with its forward end bearing against the cross-bar 106, and its rear end bearing against the stop 110. With this arrangement, it will be evident that the muzzle 38 moves back and forth with the link 42, but that if someone pushes against the muzzle, it can yield against the compression spring 112.

Outward movement of the muzzle from the gun is prevented by an enlargement 114 at the rear end of the muzzle, this being anchored behind the part 116 of the gun body fitting around the muzzle 38. The part 118 of the gun body is large enough in diameter to receive the enlargement 114 of the muzzle, and to act as a guide for the same. Slot 114' helps assembly, by permitting wire link 42, 108 to be hooked around cross-bar 106.

I While not shown in the drawing, the mechanism may additionally include, a speed regulating governor geared to the rotating parts previously described. This governor may be employed to regulate the firing speed of the gun.

It will be understood that the bearings for the rotating parts, and the s pports for the spring hammer, the diaphragm, the trigger, etc. are all molded with the sides of the gun. The parts projecting inward from the two sides come together to form the bearing. For example, see bearing 120 in FIG. 4.

Slide 14 is molded without the end plate 62 (FIG. 5) in order to facilitate assembly by insertion of the slide with that end foremost, with the attached spring. Thereafter the end 62 is secured in place. To aid this, it may be provided with a horizontal flange 63 which is cemented to the adjacent surface of the slide, thereby strengthening the attachment. An anchor pin and a mating hole may also be provided for the same purpose, as shown.

It is believed that the construction and operation of my improved toy gun, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent in the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and de-. scribed the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structures shown, without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toy gun comprising a gun body simulating an automatic clip gun with a magazine slide movable transversely of the gun, noise making means including a hammer, a main spring urging said slide to one end of its travel, gear teeth on said slide forming a rack, a pinion meshing with said rack, a toothed wheel driven by said pinion, said wheel serving to reciprocate the hammer, and a trigger having a part which normally stops rotation of the toothed wheel, whereby the gun may be fired in bursts, said main spring being energized by moving said slide against the force of said spring.

2. A toy gun comprising a gun body simulating an automatic clip gun with a magazine slide movable transversely of the gun, a diaphragm, a spring hammer adjacent said diaphragm, a main motor spring urging said slide to one end of its travel, gear teeth on said slide forming a rack, a pinion meshing with said rack, a toothed wheel driven by said pinion, said wheel serving to deflect and release the spring hammer to strike the diaphragm with a percussive noise, and a trigger having a part which normally engages and stops rotation of the toothed wheel, whereby the gun may be fired in bursts, said main spring being energized by moving said slide against the force of said spring.

3. A toy gun comprising a gun body simulating an automatic clip gun with a horizontal magazine slide movable transversely of the gun, a diaphragm, a leaf spring hammer alongside said diaphragm with one end fixed and its other end free, a main motor spring urging said slide to one end of its travel, gear teeth on said slide forming a rack, a pinion meshing with said rack, a toothed wheel, a ratchet between said pinion and wheel, said wheel serving to deflect and release the leaf spring hammer to strike the diaphragm with a percussive noise, and a trigger having a part which normally engages and stops rotation of the toothed wheel, whereby the gun may be fired in bursts, said main spring being energized by moving said slide aiglainst the force of said spring at which time said ratchet 1 es.

4. A toy gun comprising a gun body simulating an automatic clip gun with a horizontal magazine slide movable transversely of the gun, a diaphragm disposed vertically in the breech portion of said gun behind said slide, a leaf 'spring hammer extending horizontally alongside said diaphragmwith its rear end fixed and its forward end free, a main motor spring urging said slide to one end of its travel, gear teeth on the rear edge of said slide forming a rack, a pinion on a vertical shaft meshing with said rack, a toothed wheel on said shaft, a ratchet between said plnion and wheel, said wheel sewing to sidewardly deflect and release the leaf spring hammer to strike the diaphragm with apercussive noise, and a trigger having apart which normally engages and stops rotation of the toothed wheel, whereby the gunv may be fired in bursts, said main spring being energized by moving said slide adglamst the force of said spring at which time said ratchet 1 es.

5. A toy gun as defined in claim 1 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received.

6. A toy gun as defined in claim 2 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received.

7. A toy gun as defined in claim 3 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received.

8. A toy gun as defined in claim 4 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received.

9. A toy gun as defined in claim 1 having a tubular muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle.

10. A toy gun as defined in claim. 2 having a tubular muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle.

11. A toy gun as defined in claim 3 having a tubular muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle, the gear ratio being such that the muzzle is reciprocated once for each blow of the hammer.

12. A toy gun as defined in claim 4 having a tubular muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle, the gear ratio being such that the muzzle is reciprocated once for each blow of the hammer.

13. A toy gun as defined in claim 1 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received, and in which there is a muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle.

14. A toy gun as defined in claim 2 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received, and in which there is a muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle.

15. A toy gun as defined in claim 3 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received, and in which there is a muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle.

16. A toy gun as defined in claim 4 in which the slide is molded to a configuration such that the top of the slide simulates a clip of shells, and in which the bottom of the slide has a relatively deep channel behind the shells in which channel the main spring is received, and in which there is a muzzle which is reciprocable relative to the gun body to simulate recoil, a crank geared to the aforesaid toothed wheel, and a link extending from said crank to said muzzle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,122,467 Heppner July 5, 1938 2,587,687 Beyers Mar. 4, 1952 2,7l3,859 Bradfield July 26, 1955 2,892,289 Ryan June 30, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 607,834 Great Britain Sept. 6, 1948 

